Your moral state ought to be so admirable, that with pure intentions, when you seek to advise someone or direct their attention towards an error they have committed, you ought to do so in an appropriate atmosphere so that the person is not offended. Do not view anyone with contempt. Do not break anyone’s heart. There should be no mutual discord within the community. Never look down upon your poor brethren in faith. Do not take pride unjustly in your wealth and riches, or in the distinction of your family background and consider others to be inferior and unworthy. In the sight of God Almighty, honourable is the one who is righteous. As such, Allah the Exalted states:
اِنَّ اَكۡرَمَكُمۡ عِنۡدَ اللّٰهِ اَتۡقٰكُمۡ
“Verily, the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most righteous among you.”
One should treat others also with the best morals, for those who exhibit ignoble morals do not act with goodness.
People search for excuses to engage in litigation against the community. While the people are afflicted with one plague, our community is faced with two plagues. If even one person from an entire community commits an evil, that sole individual tarnishes the whole community.
Increase your capacity in wisdom, forbearance and forgiveness. Respond to even the most foolish of people with dignity and goodness. Nonsense must not be returned with similar absurdity.
I am certain that the teaching of Jesus, on whom be peace, prescribed a similar wise practice, for if it were not so, Jesusas would have gone about suffering physical abuse daily. The Romans were in rule, and the Jewish priests and Pharisees were held in high regard by the government. In that era, if Jesusas had not turned the other cheek upon being slapped on one, he would be assaulted and made to stand trial every other day. Even though Jesusas imparted such a soft teaching, the Jews would not leave him in peace. In that day and age, the prevalent circumstances, as it would seem, called for a teaching like the Gospel.
At present, our community is almost in a similar state. Do you not see how in the case brought against me by a Christian man named Martyn Clark, even Muhammad Husain gave testimony in his support? Now you should know that we can expect nothing from even our own people. As far as the government is concerned, it is provoked to harbour mistrust against me; and in a way, the government is excused if it does happen to think ill of me, because after all, it does not possess knowledge of the unseen. For this reason, I have been compelled to submit memorials to the government and inform them of my circumstances personally, so that they could be apprised of the true and honest facts. It is befitting in these trying times to subdue the inner self and adopt righteousness. My only desire in this discourse is to advise you so that this may serve as an admonition. The world is a transient abode and ultimately all must die. Happiness lies in religious objectives. Religion is our very purpose.
(Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, Malfuzat, Vol. 1, pp. 216-217)
